Olivia Gray has been playing tennis since she was 12. Growing up playing the sport – she joined the local tennis club alongside her two siblings.
Two years ago, Olivia made the transition to coaching at Blackwood Tennis Club – and has immersed herself into her community.
“Tennis is big in my family – my brother coaches with me as well. He’s been coaching for about three years, and now both my siblings and my dad, we all play at Blackwood together,” she said.
Now in her twenties, Olivia was looking for ways to connect with other women in the sport. Gray is one of ten women from across South Australia who graduated from Tennis Australia’s Women Leaders in Tennis Program, which is being rolled out nationally.
The program aims to increase the participation of women in community leadership positions through professional development, mentorship and networking opportunities.
“I thought it was really valuable being able to connect with like-minded individuals involved in tennis, particularly other women, and being able to share similar experiences that we have faced in our own local clubs,” she said.
As part of the program, participants create a ‘Action Learning Project’ to embed into their local communities.
Olivia hosted a Women’s Day event at her local club in the lead up to the summer season. The event provided an opportunity for existing female members and any new members to connect and build friendships in the sport.
“I was looking at gaining some more numbers because I knew at my club in particular we have less women’s teams than we do men’s so I wanted to do something that was going to encourage more female involvement and help retain younger girls in tennis, moving from the juniors to seniors.”
“My hope is that people realize tennis has something to offer for everyone, in particular, for young girls and women. They don’t have to drop out or stop if they feel intimidated or want to focus on other things – there are opportunities such as social tennis. You don’t always have to play at a competitive level.”
While Women Leaders in Tennis aims to develop, support and connect our current and future leaders aged over 18, the Learn 2 Lead program is building our next generation of leaders.
13 teenage girls recently graduated from the second Learn 2 Lead program – which developed their skills, confidence and knowledge to contribute and have an equal voice in their local tennis communities.
15 – year old Saanvi Kondamuri from Athelstone Tennis club said the program gave her the opportunity to build valuable friendships.
“I hope to inspire and empower young players in my tennis community by fostering a love for the game and promoting a voice for everyone. By sharing my skills and experiences, I aim to create a supportive environment where everyone feels encouraged to improve and enjoy tennis at any skill level.”
“My action learning project is focused on establishing a Junior Committee at Athelstone Tennis Club to ensure youth voices are heard in decision-making processes. By creating this platform, I aim to empower young players and foster a sense of community making our club more inclusive. I hope this initiative will help bridge the gap between adult leadership and engagement from young people enhancing the overall experience for all tennis players,” Kondamuri said.
Women Leaders in Tennis and Learn 2 Lead programs are supported by an Australian Sports Commission federal government grant.
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